Prettybird Director Tom Beard Receives Rave Reviews for Debut Feature Film ‘Two for Joy’
‘Two for Joy’ premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival where it was well received by critics, and hits cinemas on Friday 28th September. Tom Beard’s directorial debut is described as a portrait of modern Britain seen through the eyes of a family in crisis, whose matriarch is falling into depression following the death of her husband.
Directed by Tom Beard, represented in the UK by PRETTYBIRD, the film is produced by Sadie Frost and Emma Comley, and stars Samantha Morton, Billie Piper, Daniel Mays, Emilia Jones and Badger Skelton. A visceral and moving exploration of one British family’s life, navigating their way through grief in the years following their father's death, ‘Two for Joy’ has been hailed as a “lyrical slice of social realism” by METRO who gave it 4 * and Little White Lies have compared Beard to Ken Loach and Andrea Arnold.
- “A thoughtful, powerful meditation on grief…superbly convincing performances.” Total Film
- “An emotionally rich, beautifully executed drama.” Empire
- “A beautifully crafted and emotionally rich drama that will surely go down as one of the best British films of the year." The Quietus
Conceived and developed over the last 6 years via a series of short films and photographic projects by Tom Beard, and shot on 35mm film, ‘Two for Joy’ is a coming of age story exploring the trials and tribulations of one British family’s life. Samantha Morton plays Aisha, whose struggle with mental health is making home life increasingly unmanageable for her teenage daughter Vi (played by Emilia Jones) and young adolescent son Troy (Badger Skelton). Vi has been forced to grow up fast, caring for her mother whilst also trying to look after Troy. With no father figure and mother-daughter roles reversed, Troy has become a law unto himself, excluded from school he spends his days cruising the estate or fishing the reservoir. The tension at home is palpable - something has to give. The trio decide to take a trip to their late father/husband's idyllically placed caravan, overlooking the sea. They befriend the holiday park caretaker Lias, (Daniel Mays), his unhinged sister Lilah (Billie Piper) and her daughter Miranda (Bella Ramsey). A family in the midst of their own drama.
Tom Beard began working with PRETTYBIRD in 2017, and recent creative highlights showcasing his unique storytelling technique and talent for filmmaking, stills, shorts and music videos include; the Album Art work for both Florence + The Machine ‘High as Hope’ and Jessie Ware ‘GlassHouse’; and the NHS Give Blood campaign.
Director Tom Beard commented: “Making this film has been an emotional and cathartic process, seeing your characters being brought to life by such incredible talents is a magical experience. Sitting in the edit for so long you wonder if it will ever be finished so seeing it finally cut and out in the world is truly a bizarre but wonderful feeling. When I was sat on the bus writing this I had no idea the script would ever even be picked up, as it deals with some difficult but important themes, which are so often overlooked in this day and age. The storyline and its themes of mental health and young carers are so poignant today; I have so much gratitude to all the financiers and producers that believed in this project from the beginning. It’s that trust and confidence in the script that saw this film finished and to our screens.”
